David Kim is originally from South Korea, and he worked there as both masters coach and a youth swim coach, as well as a swim instructor for all age groups for over a decade before moving to the U.S. in 2016.
He began his U.S. coaching career at The Race Club under former Olympian Gary Hall Sr. in the Florida Keys before relocating to NYC. Here in New York, he is the main coach for the masters swimmers at McBurney YMCA. He is also coaching at the 92nd Y where he mainly coaches the national group which is reserved for the top swimmers on the team to help the head coach and focuses on improving stroke, technique and
provides dryland training for strength and conditioning.
He has also worked for Team New York Aquatics in the past where he has lead stroke clinics and now he coaches the masters swim team at Baruch College. He is also teaching at the Yale Club. He was a finalist for the U.S. Masters Swim Team head coaching position for the 2019 FINA World Masters Championships held in Korea.
He is a U.S. Masters level 3 coach, a certified Water Safety Instructor, U.S. Masters Swim Instructor and Red Cross Lifeguard, as well as a member of ASCA.
Prior to moving to America, he started a Korean YouTube channel that provides tutorials on swimming technique that has accumulated over 10 million views and 23,000 subscribers.
As an athlete, he swam in many masters swim meets at which time he got two MVPs from the Bucheon City and Jecheon City Mayor’s Cup Masters swim meets. he also joined a national triathlon championship with an Olympic course in Tongyong City in 2000 at which he won 3rd in his group. He also has a degree in mass communications. In 2008 he completed his military training as a private in the ROKAF: Republic of Korea Air Force.